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Viewing and navigation

This is an archived handbook page written for MuseScore 2Navigate to the handbook page for MuseScore 3: Viewing and navigation

This chapter describes the options available in the View Menu, and in the Zoom and Page View/Continuous View menus (located in the toolbar above the score). It also details the various navigation commands and functions.

Zoom in/out

Zoom In: Scroll up with the mouse wheel while holding down Ctrl (Mac: Cmd)

Zoom Out: Scroll down with the mouse wheel while holding down Ctrl (Mac: Cmd).

Drop-down menu: To set a specific zoom, use the dropdown menu in the standard toolbar to set the view magnification of the score (25–1600 %) or display it using the options "Page Width", "Whole Page", or "Two Pages".

Show Status bar

The Status bar, at the bottom of the screen, gives information about selected score elements. Tick/untick this option to display or hide.

Split display

It is possible to split the document display so as to view two documents at once, or to view two different parts of the same document. Tabs allow you to choose which document to display in each view. You can drag the barrier separating the two scores to adjust the amount of space in the window devoted to each:

Documents Side by Side: Divides the window vertically into two score views.

Documents Stacked: Divides the window horizontally into two score views, one above the other.

Visibility options

This section allows you to display or hide various non-printing elements:

Show Invisible: View/hide elements that have been made invisible for printing and export. If this option is ticked, invisible elements are shown in the score window as light gray.

Full screen

Full Screen mode expands MuseScore to fill your screen so more content is visible.

Page/Continuous View

You can switch between two different views of the score using the drop-down list in the toolbar area:

To scroll the score:

Vertically: Move the mouse wheel up or down.

Horizontally: Press Shift and move the mouse wheel up or down.

Page View

In Page View, the score is formatted as it will appear when printed or exported as a PDF or image file: that is, page by page, with margins. MuseScore applies system (line) and page breaks automatically, according to the settings made in Page settings and Style: General. In addition, you can apply your own system (line), page or section breaks.

Continuous View

In Continuous View, the score is shown as one unbroken system. Even if the starting point is not in view, measure numbers, instrument names, clefs, time and key signatures will always be displayed on the left of the window.

Note: Because the layout is simpler, MuseScore may perform faster in Continuous View than Page View.

Toolbars

The Toolbar area is located between the Menu bar and document window. It contains symbols which allow you to perform certain operations. It can be divided into the following toolbars:

To choose which toolbars to display, right-click on an empty space in the toolbar area (or on the title bar of the Inspector) and, from the menu, check or uncheck the required options. This menu also allows you to view or hide the Piano keyboard, Selection sidebar, Palettes, the Inspector, and (if already displayed) the "Drum Tools" (i.e. Drum input palette).

These display options can also be accessed in the View menu, and, as of 2.1, in View→Toolbars.

Side panels

The workspaces, Inspector and Selection filter are conveniently displayed as side panels to the left and right of the score window. To undock a side panel use one of the following methods:

Drag the panel;

Click on the double chevron at the top of the panel;

Double click in the title area at the top of the panel.

To dock a panel use one of the following procedures:

Drag the panel to the top/bottom of an existing side panel and it will stack vertically above/below that panel.

Drag the panel to the middle of an existing side panel and it will overlay that panel. Both panels can then be accessed by tabs.

Alternatively, double-clicking the title bar of the panel will restore it to its previously docked position.

Navigation

Navigator

The Navigator is an optional panel which allows you to navigate a long score more easily, or go to specific pages. To view/hide, go to the View→Navigator, or use the shortcut F12 (Mac: fn+F12). It appears at the bottom of the document window if scrolling pages horizontally, or on the right-hand side of the document window if scrolling pages vertically (see Preferences: Canvas).

The blue box represents the area of the score that is currently visible in the main window. You can drag either the blue box or the scroll bar, or click on an area to immediately go to it.

Find

The Find function allows you to speedily navigate to a specific measure, rehearsal mark or page number in the score:

Press Ctrl+F (Mac: Cmd+F), or select Edit→Find. This opens the Find (or Go to) bar at the bottom of the workspace.

Use one of the following options:

To go to a numbered measure: enter the measure number (counting every measure, starting with 1, irrespective of pickup measures, section breaks or manual changes to measure number offsets).

To go to a numbered page: enter the page number using the format pXX (where XX is the page number).

To go to a numerical rehearsal mark: enter the number using the format rXX (where XX is the name of the rehearsal mark (as of version 2.1).

To go to a rehearsal mark starting with a letter: enter the name of the rehearsal mark (the search is case insensitive).

N.B.: It is best to avoid naming rehearsal marks with the single letters "R," "r," "P", "p," or one of these letters with an integer (e.g. "R1" or "p3"), as this can confuse the search algorithm.